Washing machine



Aug. 18, 1931. c. F. STAPLES WASHING MACHINE 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed Nov. 9

Aug. 18, 1931.

Fled Nov.

C. F. STAPLES wAs'HINc- MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR zq- 5f.

L'. ATTORNEY [Patented Aug. 18,1931

STATESA PATENTv or-'Fl'ca CHRLES F. STAPLES, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNGB, BY MESNE A.SSIGNMENTS,l

'ro enanas ELECTRIC eonralvx, rive.,

new vom: Y

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F I wasn-ING MACHINE Appligtion, letl November 9, 1.825; Serial N0. 67,801.

The present invention relates to washing machines and more specically to vimprovements in that type of machine described and claimed in Patent No. 1,505,674, issued Ausgust 19, 1924, to the presentl applicant.

Among the objects of the present invention is a washing machine in which all'of the operations of washing, rinsing, bluing, and wringing and boiling may be carried on withlo out removing or. displacing any of the apparatus, or rep cing. the wash water.

Another object is 'a washing machine having a centrifugai wringer or drier which can be operated Yduring the operation of the Washer and without interference therewith.

' Still another object includes the improvement of the driving mechanisml for the washer and drier and the arrangement of parts to increase' eiiciency of performance and economy of productionand operation.

W ith these and other objects in view as will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description, the invention consists broadly in a washer j'provided with an agitator and havin superposed a centrifugal drier adapted to e operable independently of the agitator, both, however, being actuated b a single motor through mechanism entire y enclosed in a te housing which alsos'upports and protects the motor. v

Referenceshould be made to the accom-` panying drawings, in which like numerals' refer tolike parts throughout,l and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectionthrou h a machine forming the preferred embo iment of the invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the the washing vessel or tub;

Fig. 3 is a part vertical section'through the operating mechanism taken on line 3--3 ofFig.2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view. in4 vertical section of the agitator;

Figs. 5 and-6 are respectively a planand elevation of the basket brake, withparts in section. A r

As indicated in the drawings, the preferred i form of embodiment of the invention consists 50 of av washing tub or container 10, preferably portion below drier container 17. The latter is somewhat circular and of the form indicated in the drawing, seated upon a traylike housing 11 containing the operating mechanism. The housing 11 and tub 10 are both secured to legs 12 which extend to the upper edge of the tu In the upper part of the tub is a preferably circular tray 15 supported centrally by a plurality of legs 16, two being shown in Fig. l, tlns tray formlng the bottom of the smaller in diameter than the tub 10 and encloses a centrifugal basket drier 20. It is preferred to provide the tub 10 with an annular .cover or lidllOa adaptedto extend around container 17 and coverthe tub during the washing operation.

As shown, the central art of the bottom of the tub 10 is provide with an openin over which is bolted a tubular upright sha housing and bearing 25. This member 25 extends upwardly to near the top of tub 10 to approximately the normal water level therein. Member 25 is provided with bearings-'26 and 27 lfor a hollow shaft 28 and this in turn provides bearing for a second "I5 To the upper `end of shaft 28 is inncd an agitator 30 which-will be describe more in detail later. pon the upper end of shaft 29 is carried the basket 20.

The lower ends of shafts 28 and 29 extend down into the housing 11 as shown in Fig. 1, and co-operate with the driving mechanism therein. The lower end of shaft 28 is provided with a spur gear 31 adapted to be rotated back and forth by a rack 32 oscillatable longitudinally by a crank 33 on a short verti- Y cal shaft 34 supported inbearings 35and provided witha worm gear 36.

The lower end of shaft 29 is supported in a suitable thrust bearing 40 and is provided with a worm gear 41. Gears 36 and 41 yare so located as to be driven by a single shaft 45 (see Fig. 2) provided with suitable worms, g5 and shaft 45 is driven'by a suitable motor mounted inthe motor support 46 forming part ofthe housing member. v,

, By the mechanism just described, operation of the motor will rotate shaft 29 and ,with 3l@ secured to the lower end of a short shaft 53 mounted in the' lower wall of housing 11. The upper end of shaft 53 carries-a crank arm 54 having at its outer end a roller 55 lying in a longitudinal channel in rack 32. When the lever 50 is moved to the dotted line position, the crank arm 54 will operate to lift rack 32 away' from gear 31 and the rack will thereupon merely continue to oscillate freely.

The roller 55 on arm 54 not only serves to move the rack 32 but, when the latter is in operating position, serves as a guide thereor. It will be noted that the upper end 'of shaft i 29 is provided with a tapered portion 60 and that the bottom of basket 20 is provided with an upstanding central hub member 61 having in its upper end a tapered part 62 corresponding to taper 60 of the shaft. This part 62 is lined with friction material 63 so as'to form a friction clutch between basket l20 and shaft 29. In order to maintain the concentric relation of shaft 29 and member 61, it is preferred to insert in the cylindrical portion 64'thereof a sleeve 65 adapted to fit snugly between the shaft and member and maintain their relation.

Means is also provided for releasing the clutch just referred to and bringing to rest the basket 20 thou h the shaft 29 may continue, to rotate. is means consists vof a lever pivoted at 71 to the bottom of tray 15 and operable by a handle 72 pivoted to one end thereof and furnished with two oppositely disposed shoulders 73 and 74. When the lever is 1n its upper position, the shoulder 74 rests on the edge of the guideV slots 7 5l in leg 16 and prevents dro ping of the lever and consequent drag on bas et 20 as will be seen. When the lever is depressed to release'the basket, shoulder 7 3 willvcatch under the edge of the slot and retain the lever in its lower position. v The other end of lever 70 will be provided with a fork 76 having pivoted to its arms normally upright pins 77 which pass up through tray 15 and, when the lever is depressed, contact with the flat portion of the bottom of basket 20 lifting the latterand releasing theclutch between the basket and shaft 29, at the same time braking the speed v of the basket.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it willbe seen that the housing 11 includes as a part the drain sump and pipe 80. t This drain has its inlet neag` the center of the bottom of the tub and under the area covered by the agieven be included as this form 'of tub and vits tator 30, this being the lowest point of the tub. The, agitator is therefore preferably made as is indicated in Fig. 4. In this re the agitator 30 is indicated as generally l1-I shaped and of two parts 81 and 82 provided extend from the lower ed e to near the top of the bell. Part 81 comprises one-half of the bell and all of the sleeve 84 at the top of the agitator by means of which the agitator is pinned through holes 85 to shaft 28. This part is also provided .with lugs 86'having holes therethrough. The other part 82 comprises the other half of the bell but extends only up to the lowerend of sleeve 84. This part 82 is provided with pins 87 adapted to ent er the lugs 86 and thereby be supported by part 81. The two parts are preferably held together by means of a ring 90 fitted over the sloping upper portions 91 of the bell, which portions are above the ends of blades 83. In using agitators of the type just described it is not uncommon for the articles being washed tobe caught under the outer edge thereof and means is always used to prevent this. Heretofore, such mea s has always been a guard flange or rib or t e like. In the present device, no such rib orl guard is necessary as the agitator coacting with the bottom of the tub, which curves upwardly from about the lower edge of the agltat'or to merge into' the side walls thereof, causes the articles to be swept away from the lower edge of the agitator by the watg' currents produced by centrifugal action nd guided by the curved wall of the tub. In f lat bottom tubs using similar agitators, centrifugal currents are produced but the straight side walls interfere with the sweeping action and permit the clothes or other articles to get caught as mentioned.

' The operation of the device would appear to be obvious to those skilled in the art, but one or two points particularly should be noted. The first of these is that either the washer'or the drier may be used independently of the other and without operating the other. Another point is that both may be operated simultaneously, each without interfering with the'other. A third point is that all of the operations -of washing, including washing, rinsing, bluing and'wringing can be carried out without removing or displacing any of the parts. The step of boiling may through handle or hand wheel 101, permits r l drainage of the drier through ypassage 102 Lw 70 on the outer surface with blades 83 which p into the -washer or through passage 103 to the 4outside thereof.

cleaning process. In employing the machine Ior carrying on this process, the clothes are placed in the tub or container 10, in which gasoline or other dry cleaning Huid is placed. Then the agitator is set into oscillation,

VandY the dry cleaning iiuid is circulated through the clothes to clean them. After being thuscleaned, the clothes are removed from the container 10 and placed in the dryer 20, whose rapid rotation causes the surplus cleaning fluid to be expressed from y theY clotheshy centrifugal force.

Further, a lid (not shown)l may be provided for the drier if such. should be considered desirable or necessary to comply with local legal restrictions, especially where the machine vis used for dry cleaning purposes.

Having now described the invention and `the preferred form of embodiment thereof,

it is to be understood that changes may be made in the specific details without departing from the scope of the claims which follow, in which the terms crank and rack'com prehend any mechanical equivalents procuring the same or similar action.

Claims:v v

l. A. washing machine having a container provided with washing mechanism, a drier superposed thereover, separate shafts connected with the washing mechanism and the drier, a single drive shaft, separate connections between said drive shaft and said separate shafts adapted to oscillate the said mechanism and to rotate the drier, and means for disconnecting the drive of either the y washing mechanism or drier at will.

2. In a washing machine, in combination,

a washing container, an agitator therein, a-

drier above said agitator and `of smaller diameter than said container, a motor, separate driving connections from said motor to said agitator and drier, and a cover for said container surrounding said drier.

3. In a washing machine, in combination, a washingcontainer and a drier superposed over said container, a separatecontainer for said drier, one of said containers being mounted within the other and substantially concentric therewith, and means for discharging the washingv fluid from said drier container either into said first container or outside thereof.

4. In a washing machine, having an .agitator, a Vrack and pinion drive therefor, rack being provided with a' longitudinal channel, a crank member having upon one arm a roller adapted to lie in said channel to guide said rack, and means to move Vsaid crank and to therebycalise said roller arm to disengage said rack and pinion.

5. In awashing machine, a container, a

housing, a motor, a washing agitator 1n said v container, a drier supported above said washing agitator, ashaft extending up through beneath said agitator, said agitator having a portion removable whereby access may be had to said drain inlet. Y

7. In a lwashing machine, an agitator comprising an upright conical portion-having a horizontally disposed flanged loweredge, said portion and said flange being provided with radially extending blades, and a drain for said machine having its inlet disposed be'- neath said agitator, said agitator having a the bottom of'said washing container and portion removable whereby access may be had -to1 said drain inlet, said removable portion beingA supported and actuated by the other portion. i

8. In a washing machine having a washer and a superposed concentric rotatable drier, concentric shafts for operating said washer and drier, and a shaft housing and bearing support for saidshafts extending up through the bottom of said Washer to above the normal water leveltherein. i

' 9. In a' washing machine, an oscillatable agitator, a rotatable drier superposed over said agitator, separat/e vdrive shafts for said agitator and drier,'one of said shafts being proyided with a spur gear andthe other with ,a worm gear, a rack for actuating said spur gear, a crank shaft for actuating said rack, said crank shaft being provided with a worm gear, a drive shaft provided'with separate worms (3o-'operating with said lworm gears, and means for driving said drive shaft.

-10. In awashin machine, an oscillatable agitator, a rotata l'e .drier, separate'drive shafts for said agitator and drier, one of said ghafts being provided with a spur gear and the other with a worm gear, arack for actuatgzng said Spur gear, means for separating saidv 'rack and spur gear at will, a crank shaft for ylfgactuatlng sald rack, sind crank shaft being "provided with Worm gear, a'drive shaft provided with separate worms fro-oper- 'ing with said worm gears, and means for d rvng said drive shaft.

izo

l1. washing machine compi-isili a con fw.'

tainer, a washing element disposed therei'n, a

rotarydrying container superposed above said washing element, and means f o r driving said washing element and drying container separately or simultaneously.

12. A washing machine comprising a container, a washing element disposed therein, a rotary drying element disposed above said washing element, a pair of shafts extending upwardly through the bottom ofsaid conl tainer for severally driving said washing and drying elements, and a housingv for said shafts extendingY upwardly from the bottom of said .container to a point above the normal liquid level in said container.

13. A washing machine comprising a container, a washing element disposed therein, a rotary drying element superposed over said washing `element,a pair of shafts severally connected to saidv washing and drying elements, and means for simultaneously -os. cillating said washing element shaft and rotating said drying elementv shaft.

14. A washing machine comprising a container, a washing element disposed therein,

a rotary drying element superposed over said washing element, a pair of shafts severally vconnected to said washing and drying elements, a power means, connections between said power means and said shafts, and oscillating means in the connections between said power means and said washing element shaft whereby the latter is oscillated.

15. A washing machine comprising a container, a washing element disposed therein, a rotary drying element disposed above said. washing element, a pair of separate shafts in saidv container, means for rotating one of said shafts and oscillating the other shaft, driving connections between the oscillating shaft and said washing element, and separable driving connections between said rotating shaft and said rotary drying element, whereby the latter may be removed from and replaced on said rotating-shaft at will Without disturbing said washing element.

16. In a washing machine, the combination of a container, a washing element?there in, a drying element above the washing eff ment, separate shafts surrounded by the connected to said element and said drier shaft, means for rendering said element inoperative to actuate said agitator shaft, and independent means for disconnecting said drier from said drive shaft. f

of a'container, an agitator therein, a rotatable drier above said agitator, shafts for said agitator and drier, a pinion on said agitator shaft, a toothed element engaging the pinion on said agitator shaft, means to shift said element to disengage it from said pinion, al member for oscillating said ele- 19. In a washing machine, the combination ment,'and a motor connected to said member and drier shaft.

20. In a washing machine, the combination of a container, an agitator therein, a rotatable drier above said agitator, shafts for s aid agitator and-drier, a spur gear on the agitator shaft, a worm gear on the drier shaft, a gear element meshing with said spur gear, amember for oscillating said gear element, a worm gear for driving said member, and a driven shaft having worms meshing with said worm gears for driving the same.

21. A washing machine comprising a container, a washing element therein, a second container disposed above said washing element, a drier therein, a shaft extending through the bottom of said iirst container and connected to said agitator, a second shaft projecting through the bottom of the second container and connected to said drier, means for oscillating said agitator shaft, and means forrotating said drier shaft.

22. In a washing machine, the combination of two separate containers, one of said containers bein supported in the other container, an agitator in one of said containers, a drier in the other container and superposed over said agitator and discharging only into its container, separate shafts connected to said agitator and-drier, means for oscillating said agitator shaft, and means for rotating said drier shaft.

. CHARLES F. STAPLES.

. washing element and connected to saidjeleconnected to said agitator shaft, a motor connected to said element and said drier shaft,

and means for rendering said element inoperative to actuate said agitator shaft.

18. In a washing machine, the combination of a container, an agitator therein, a rotatable drier above said agitatorMseparateshafts for vsaid agitator and drier an oscillating element connected to said agitator shaft, a drive shaft yiis DiscnAa MER 1,819,2G8.0harles F. Staples, Detroit, Mich. WASHING MACHINE. Patent dated August 18, 1931. Disclaimer filed October 20, 1933, by the assignee,I Graybar Electric Uompany, Inc.-

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that elaim in the specification, which is in the following Words, to Wit:

In a washing machine, an osoillatable agitator, a rotatable' drier, separate drive shafts-*forsaid agitator and drier, one of said shafts being provided with a spur gear and the other with a worm gear, a rack for actuatingsaid spur gear means for separating said rack and spur gear at Will, a crank-shaftI for aotuating said rack, said Crank shaft being provided with a worm gear, a drive shaft provided with se arate v Worms 0Per"ing with Said Worm gew,4 and means for dn'ving said drive s aft. s

' [Qzcz'al I(i'aa'ette November 14, 1933.] 

